< Torati 1 >

1 Haya ni maneno Mose aliyoyasema kwa Israeli yote jangwani mashariki ya Yordani, ambayo iko Araba, inayokabiliana na Sufu, kati ya Parani na Tofeli, Labani, Haserothi na Dizahabu.
In this book is written what Moses/I said to the Israeli people. He/I told them these things when they/we were in the desert, on the east side of the Jordan [River]. They/We had set up our tents near [a place named] Suph, between Paran [town on the one side of the river] and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab [towns on the other side of the river].
2 (Ni mwendo wa siku kumi na moja kutoka Horebu kwa njia ya Mlima Seiri mpaka Kadesh-Barnea.)
To walk from Sinai [Mountain] to the Kadesh-Barnea [oasis], people usually travel for only eleven days, going by way of the hilly area named Edom.
3 Katika mwaka wa arobaini, siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa kumi na moja, Mose aliwatangazia Waisraeli yale yote Bwana aliyomwamuru kuwahusu.
Forty years after (the Israelis/we) left Egypt, in the middle of January, Moses/I told the Israeli people everything that Yahweh had commanded him/me to tell them.
4 Hii ilikuwa baada ya kumshinda Sihoni mfalme wa Waamori, ambaye alitawala Heshboni, na pia huko Edrei alikuwa amemshinda Ogu mfalme wa Bashani, ambaye alitawala huko Ashtarothi.
This was after they/we had defeated Sihon, the king of the Amor people-group, who lived in Heshbon [city], and Og, the king of the Bashan [region] who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei [towns].
5 Huko mashariki ya Yordani katika nchi ya Moabu, Mose alianza kuielezea sheria hii, akisema:
Moses/I told them these things while the people were in the Moab region, on the east side of the Jordan [River]. He/I (explained to them/enabled them to understand) God’s laws. This is what he/I said to them:
6 Bwana Mungu wetu alisema nasi huko Horebu, “Mmekaa vya kutosha katika mlima huu.
“Yahweh our God said to us when we were at Sinai [Mountain], ‘You have stayed for a very long time at [the bottom of] this mountain.
7 Vunjeni kambi, msonge mbele kuelekea nchi ya vilima ya Waamori; nendeni kwa watu wote ambao ni majirani wa Araba, katika milima, upande wa magharibi chini ya vilima, katika Negebu na kandokando ya pwani, mpaka nchi ya Wakanaani hadi Lebanoni, na kufika mto mkubwa Frati.
So now continue traveling. Go to the hilly area where the Amor people-group lives and to the nearby areas—to the Jordan [River] Valley, to the hilly region, to the western (foothills/hills at the bottom of the mountains), to the desert area to the south, to the [Mediterranean] Seacoast, to all of Canaan land, to the Lebanon [Mountains], and [northeast] to the great Euphrates River.
8 Tazama, nimewapa ninyi nchi hii. Ingieni mkaimiliki nchi ambayo Bwana aliapa kuwa angaliwapa baba zenu, Abrahamu, Isaki na Yakobo, pamoja na vizazi vyao baada yao.”
Note that I will give that land to you. I, Yahweh, promised to your ancestors Abraham and Isaac and Jacob that I would give it to them and to their descendants. So now go and occupy it.’”
9 Wakati ule niliwaambia, “Ninyi mmekuwa mzigo mzito sana kwangu kuwachukua peke yangu.
Moses/I also said to the people, “When [we were still at Sinai Mountain], I told your ancestors ‘It is a very big burden/responsibility for me to govern all of you. So I cannot do it by myself.
10 Bwana Mungu wenu ameongeza hesabu yenu, hivi kwamba leo ninyi ni wengi kama nyota za angani.
Yahweh our God has caused us Israelis to now become as numerous as the stars in the sky.
11 Naye Bwana, Mungu wa baba zenu na awaongeze mara elfu na kuwabariki kama alivyoahidi!
And I hope/desire that Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped], will cause us to become 1,000 times as numerous as we are now and that he will bless us just like he promised to do.
12 Lakini mimi nitawezaje kubeba matatizo yenu, na mizigo yenu, na magomvi yenu peke yangu?
But I certainly cannot [RHQ] (solve/deal with) all of your complaints/problems.
13 Chagueni baadhi ya watu wenye hekima, wenye ufahamu na wanaoheshimika kutoka kila kabila lenu, nami nitawaweka juu yenu.”
So choose some men from your tribes who are wise and who have good sense and who are respected. Then I will appoint them to be your leaders.’
14 Mlinijibu, “Shauri ulilolitoa ni zuri.”
Your ancestors replied, ‘What you have suggested is good for us to do.’
15 Kwa hiyo niliwachukua wanaume viongozi wa makabila yenu, wenye hekima na wanaoheshimika, nami nikawateua wawe na mamlaka juu yenu kama majemadari wa maelfu, wa mamia, wa hamsini, na wa makumi, na kama maafisa wa makabila.
So I took the wise and respected men [that your ancestors chose] from your tribes, and I appointed them to be your leaders. I appointed some to (rule/have authority) over 1,000 people, some to have authority over 100 people, some to have authority over 50 people, and some to have authority over ten people. I also appointed other officers from throughout your tribes.
16 Nami wakati ule nikawaagiza waamuzi wenu: Sikilizeni magomvi kati ya ndugu zenu na mwamue kwa haki, hata kama shauri ni kati ya ndugu wa Kiisraeli, au kati ya mmoja wa ndugu wa Kiisraeli na mgeni.
I instructed/told your leaders, ‘Listen to the disputes that occur among your people. Judge each dispute, including disputes between close relatives and quarrels between your people and people from other countries who live among you.
17 Msionyeshe upendeleo katika maamuzi; wasikilizeni wote sawasawa, wadogo kwa wakubwa. Msimwogope mtu yeyote, kwa kuwa hukumu ni ya Mungu. Mniletee mimi shauri lolote lililo gumu sana kwenu, nami nitalisikiliza.
You must (be impartial/not favor one person more than another); you must treat poor people and important people equally. You must not worry about what anyone will think [about how you decide matters], because you will decide matters as God [wants you to]. If any quarrel/dispute is very difficult and you are unable to decide it, bring it to me, and I will decide.’
18 Nami wakati ule niliwaambia kila kitu ambacho mngefanya.
At that time I also told you other things that you should do.”
19 Kisha, kama Bwana Mungu wetu alivyotuamuru, tuliondoka kutoka Horebu na kwenda kuelekea nchi ya vilima ya Waamori, kupitia jangwa lile kubwa lote la kutisha, lile mliloliona, nasi tukafika Kadesh-Barnea.
“Then, just like Yahweh our God commanded us, we left Sinai [Mountain] and went through that huge desert that was very (dangerous/difficult to travel through), on the road to the hilly area where the Amor people-group live. We arrived at Kadesh-Barnea.
20 Kisha niliwaambia, “Mmefika katika nchi ya vilima ya Waamori, ambayo Bwana Mungu wetu anatupa.
I said to your ancestors, ‘We have now come to the hilly area where the Amor people-group live. This is part of the area that Yahweh our God, the one whom our ancestors [worshiped], is giving to us.
21 Tazama, Bwana Mungu wenu amewapa nchi. Pandeni mkaimiliki kama Bwana, Mungu wa baba zenu, alivyowaambia. Msiogope, wala msikate tamaa.”
Note that Yahweh our God is giving this land to us. So go and occupy it as he commanded. Do not be (at all/even a little bit) afraid.’
22 Ndipo ninyi nyote mkanijia na kusema, “Tupeleke watu watutangulie kuipeleleza nchi kwa ajili yetu, na kutuletea taarifa kuhusu njia tutakayopita, na miji tutakayoiendea.”
But all of your ancestors came to me and said, ‘Before we go, we should [first] send some men there to explore the land, in order that they can return and tell us which will be the best road to go there and what kind of towns are there.’
23 Wazo hilo lilionekana zuri kwangu; kwa hiyo niliwachagua watu wenu kumi na wawili, mwanaume mmoja kutoka kila kabila.
I thought that it would be good to do that, so I chose twelve men, one man from each tribe.
24 Waliondoka na kukwea katika nchi ya vilima, wakafika katika Bonde la Eshkoli na kuipeleleza.
They went up into the hilly area as far as Eshcol Valley, and they explored all that area.
25 Wakachukua baadhi ya matunda ya nchi, wakatuletea na kutuarifu, “Ni nchi nzuri ambayo Bwana Mungu wetu anatupa.”
They picked some of the fruit that they found there and brought it to us. They reported that the land that Yahweh our God was giving to us is very good/fertile.”
26 Lakini hamkuwa tayari kukwea, mkaasi dhidi ya amri ya Bwana Mungu wenu.
“But your ancestors refused to go [and conquer that land]. They rebelled against what Yahweh our God had commanded them to do, and they would not go into that land.
27 Mkanungʼunika ndani ya mahema yenu na kusema, “Bwana anatuchukia, kwa hiyo alitutoa Misri ili kututia mikononi mwa Waamori kutuangamiza.
Your ancestors [stayed] in their tents and complained saying ‘Yahweh hates us. So he has brought us here from Egypt just to allow the Amor people-group to destroy us.
28 Twende wapi? Ndugu zetu wametufanya kufa moyo. Wanasema, ‘Watu wa huko wana nguvu zaidi na ni warefu kuliko sisi tulivyo; miji ni mikubwa, yenye kuta zilizofika juu angani. Zaidi ya hayo, tumewaona Waanaki huko.’”
(Why should we go there?/We do not want to go there.) [RHQ] The men whom we sent there have caused us to become very discouraged/afraid. They have told us that the people there are much stronger and taller than we are and that there are extremely high [HYP] walls around their towns. Also they reported that they saw [giants there that are] descendants of Anak.’
29 Ndipo nikawaambia, “Msihofu, wala msiwaogope.
Then I said to your ancestors, ‘Do not be afraid (at all/even a little bit) [DOU] of those people!
30 Bwana Mungu wenu anayewatangulia, atawapigania, kama alivyofanya kwa ajili yenu huko Misri, mbele ya macho yenu hasa,
Yahweh our God will go ahead of you, and he will fight for you, just like you saw him do for you in Egypt
31 na pia huko jangwani. Huko mliona jinsi Bwana Mungu wenu alivyowachukua, kama baba amchukuavyo mwanawe, katika njia yote mliyoiendea mpaka mkafika mahali hapa.”
and in the desert. You saw how he brought you safely here, like a man would carry his son. [SIM]’
32 Pamoja na hili, hamkumtegemea Bwana Mungu wenu,
[I reminded them that] he always went ahead of them while they traveled [in the desert]. He directed them by [a pillar of] fire during the night and a [pillar of] cloud during the day. He showed them places to set up their tents. But in spite of what I said, your ancestors would not trust Yahweh our God.
33 ambaye aliwatangulia katika safari yenu, kwa moto usiku na kwa wingu mchana, kuwatafutia mahali penu pa kupiga kambi na kuwaonyesha njia mtakayoiendea.
34 Wakati Bwana aliposikia lile mlilosema, alikasirika, akaapa, akasema:
Yahweh heard what they said, and he became angry. He solemnly declared,
35 “Hakuna mtu wa kizazi hiki kiovu atakayeona nchi nzuri niliyoapa kuwapa baba zenu,
‘Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, will enter the land. He has obeyed me completely. So I will give to him and to his descendants [some of] the land that he explored. He is the only one of all you people who will enter that land. None of these evil people will ever see that good land which I solemnly promised to give to your ancestors.’
36 isipokuwa Kalebu mwana wa Yefune. Yeye ataiona, nami nitampa yeye na wazao wake nchi aliyoikanyaga kwa miguu, kwa sababu alimfuata Bwana kwa moyo wote.”
37 Kwa sababu yenu Bwana pia alinikasirikia mimi, akasema, “Hutaingia hiyo nchi pia.
But because of [what] your ancestors [did], Yahweh was also angry with me. He said to me, ‘You also will not enter that land.
38 Lakini msaidizi wako, Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, ataingia. Mtie moyo, kwa sababu atawaongoza Waisraeli kuirithi hiyo nchi.
Joshua, the son of Nun, who is your helper, will enter it. Encourage him, because he is the one who will enable you Israeli people to occupy that land.’
39 Wale watoto ambao mliwasema wangelichukuliwa mateka, yaani watoto wenu ambao bado hawajui jema na baya, wataingia katika nchi. Nitawapa hiyo nchi, nao wataimiliki.
Then Yahweh said to all of us, ‘You said that your children would be captured by your enemies. Because they are very young, they do not yet know what is good and what is evil. But they are the ones to whom I will give that land, and they will enter it and occupy it.
40 Bali ninyi geukeni, mwondoke kuelekea jangwani kwa kufuata njia ya Bahari ya Shamu.”
But as for you, turn around and go back into the desert, toward the (Red Sea/Gulf of Aqaba).’
41 Ndipo mkanijibu, “Tumemtenda Bwana dhambi. Tutakwenda kupigana, kama Bwana Mungu wetu alivyotuamuru.” Hivyo kila mmoja wenu akachukua silaha zake, huku mkifikiri kuwa ni rahisi kukwea katika nchi ya vilima.
Then your ancestors replied, ‘We have sinned; we have disobeyed Yahweh. So we will go and attack [the people who live in] that land, just like Yahweh our God commanded us to do.’ And each of their men put on his weapons, and they thought that it would be easy to invade the hilly region.
42 Lakini Bwana aliniambia, “Waambie, ‘Msipande kupigana, kwa sababu sitakuwa pamoja nanyi. Mtashindwa na adui zenu.’”
But Yahweh said to me, ‘Tell them, “Do not go up there and attack those people, because I will not go with you. If you go, your enemies will defeat you.”’
43 Hivyo niliwaambia, lakini hamkutaka kusikia. Mliasi dhidi ya amri ya Bwana, na katika kiburi chenu mlienda katika nchi ya vilima.
So I told that to your ancestors, but they would not heed what I said. They [again] rebelled against what Yahweh commanded them to do. Their soldiers proudly/arrogantly marched up into that hilly region.
44 Waamori ambao waliishi katika vilima hivyo waliinuka dhidi yenu, wakawafukuza kama kundi la nyuki wakiwapiga njia yote ya Seiri mpaka Horma.
Then the men of the Amor people-group who lived in that region came out [of their towns] and attacked those soldiers. They pursued your ancestors’ soldiers like [a swarm of] bees pursues people, and they pursued them [south] from the Edom area and defeated them at Hormah [city].
45 Mlirudi na kulia mbele za Bwana, lakini Mungu hakusikiliza kilio chenu, wala hakuwajali.
So your ancestors went back [to Kadesh-Barnea] and cried out to request Yahweh [to help them], but he did not heed them. He did not pay any attention to them [DOU].
46 Hivyo mlikaa Kadeshi kwa siku nyingi, kwa muda ule wote mliokaa huko.
So we stayed there at Kadesh-Barnea for a long time.”

< Torati 1 >